Thursday, December 30, 2010

Ali & Alanis Have a Merry Christmas, Baby!

Vince Vaughn and his wife aren't the only ones getting a baby for Christmas! Ali Larter gave birth to one of the last Sagittarius celeb kids of the season, son Theodore Hayes, early on December 20th and the new mom says he is the "perfect Christmas present."

Alanis Morissette and her husband Mario Treadway had their Capricorn baby boy, Ever Imre, on Christmas Day.

When calculating a birth chart, you need three pieces of information: the birth date, place, and time. The birth time and place help to determine the houses in a chart, but from a birth date alone you can determine what signs all of the planets fall into.* Without accurate birth times published for either baby, we cannot determine whether one baby's planets fall greatly in the first house, for example, as opposed to another baby, even one born on the same day but at a different time, who may have those same planets clustered in the 6th house instead.

Therefore, even though these babies were born five days apart, their charts are quite similar except for two very important planets: the sun and moon. Theodore was born when the sun was in the last part of Sagittarius and the moon in Gemini. These two signs tend to be seekers of truth in very different ways--Sagittarius seeking meaning through experience, and Gemini seeking truth through data, and both enjoying creative experimentation. The houses that these and the rest of his planets fall into would tell us more about the kinds of data and experiences Theodore will want to seek out in satisfying his curiosity and sense of adventure.

Ever Imre was born when the Sun had recently moved into Capricorn. Both children have other planets in Capricorn, including Mars, so they will display Capricorn traits such as being goal-oriented and practical, but Theodore, with his adventurous and sometimes naive Sagittarius traits and his impish, playful Gemini, may let his curiosity override his common sense far more often than little Ever, who may approach life more cautiously from the get-go.

If Ever was born on the earlier side of Christmas morning, he may have his moon in the sign of Leo, which would bless him with a generous (albeit demanding) heart and a desire to express himself boldly in the world. If he was born anytime after early morning, he is likely to have a Virgo moon, which would enhance the cautious, determined, and humble side of his Capricorn sun.

Family astrology is a fascinating subject; it's very common to find similar themes in the charts of families, especially between the sun, moon, and rising signs, such as a generational string of women with Pisces moons or suns, for example, and even more complex, repeated themes. If Mlle Kiddie were a betting woman, she would put her money on a Leo moon, since Alanis has Leo Rising!

Also born on Christmas Day: Capricorn Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John via surrogate to Elton John and David Furnish.

Photo: Kiyoshi Ota / Getty Images

*The moon moves very quickly so sometimes without a birth time, one cannot be sure which sign the moon was in since it may be in one sign in the morning and the next sign in the evening. While this is true with all planets, it happens much more frequently with the moon, since it changes signs about every 2 and a half days.

Monday, December 27, 2010

Welcome Locklyn Kyla Vaughn

Vince Vaughn and his wife Kyla Weber should have a Merry Christmas! The newlyweds welcomed Sagittarius Locklyn Kyla on the morning of December 18th.

It's always good to focus on the moon with newborns. The moon in a baby's chart is almost more significant than any other planet in understanding how to care for them, since infants communicate mostly through emotion and their needs focus mostly on feeling secure (beyond the obvious physical needs), and these are the territory of la lune.

Baby Locklyn has a Taurus moon, so she will benefit greatly from feeling secure and stable, so things like always being on the go and jostled around or even diaper changes where her clothes and body have to be messed with may have her reacting a little more cranky than some kids. She will probably enjoy a snug swaddle and be quite content in a cozy baby chair when she's awake. A baby swing may feel a little too insecure to her, but gentle rocking can certainly be a soothing rhythm.

An enthusiastic Sagittarius baby with a grounded Taurus moon may be the best of both worlds! As she grows, she'll probably be an expansive thinker, since Mercury is so close to the Sun in the philosophical sign of Sagittarius, but also have a down-to-earth quality about her that will not let her get too carried away with her head in the clouds.

Congrats to the couple!

Photo: Tasos Katopodis/Getty

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Happy Birthday Capricorn Kids!

The Sun is in Capricorn from December 21st to January 19th. Happy birthday to all those Capricorn kiddos (and mommies and daddies)!

Kids with prominent Capricorn in their charts, especially the Sun, Moon, or Rising Sign, tend to display serious and adult-like qualities from an early age. They may be more eager to take on grown-up responsibilities and often enjoy hanging around children or adults older than them rather than kids their own age, or else serving as a guide to those younger than them. In play, Capricorn children like the tools of the real world and to play with hands-on, practical toys that emulate the adult world.

Capricorns aren't without their sense of humor, however; they tend to have a dry wit. They prefer low-key sarcasm to over-the-top slapstick because of their a conservative (nothing to do with politics, darling) tone to their personality; they aren't easily excitable or demonstrative.

Mattias Ferrell, the (almost) 4-year-old son of Will Ferrell and Viveca Paulin, celebrates a birthday on December 30th. Here's a little peek at his Kiddiegram:
Mattias actually enjoys being given responsibilities and chores, and for the most part, he can be relied upon to carry them out. He will work hard at school or around the house. His self-discipline and ability to concentrate and apply himself to his tasks is considerable. Sometimes he takes it all too seriously, however, and if he feels others are depending on him or expect high achievement of him, he can easily become burdened with an inordinate sense of obligation.


While he does need to do things that give him a sense of solid accomplishment and to see concrete results for his efforts, he also sometimes needs to be reminded to enjoy himself, and not to be so hard and demanding of himself. He is likely to be his own worst critic, and he needs a lot of unconditional acceptance and warmth from his parents to help him keep his perspective.


Do you have a Capricorn kiddie in your life?
Treat their parents to a tailor-made
Kiddiegram!

Capricorn Sun Kids
Dec 22 Isabella Cruise (Tom Cruise & Nicole Kidman)
Dec 24 Charlie (Sarah Chalke & Jamie Afifi)
Dec 25 Ever Imre (Alanis Morisette & Mario Treadway)
Dec 28 Dolly & Charlie (Rebecca Romijn & Jerry O'Connell)
Dec 28 Faith (Nicole Kidman & Keith Urban)
Dec 30 Mattias Ferrell (Will Ferrell & Viveca Paulin)
Jan 1 Liam (Calista Flockhart w/stepdad Harrison Ford)
Jan 3 Vida (Matthew McConaughey & Camila Alves)
Jan 6 Seraphina (Ben Affleck & Jennifer Garner)
Jan 7 William (Mary-Louise Parker & Billy Crudup)
Jan 7 Ryder (Kate Hudson & Chris Robinson)
Jan 7 Blue Ivy (Beyonce Knowles & Jay-Z)
Jan 8 Zahara (Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt)
Jan 11 Harlow (Nicole Ritchie & Joel Madden)
Jan 11 Margaret (Mark Walhberg & Rhea Durham)
Jan 12 Max (Christina Aguilera & Jordan Bratman)
Jan 14 Robert Ford (Owen Wilson & Jade Duell)
Jan 17 Connor (Tom Cruise & Nicole Kidman)

Capricorn Moon Kids

May 23 Thomas (Jack Black & Tanya Hadden)
Jun 19 Maddie (Jamie Lynn Spears & Casey Aldridge)
Sep 21 Valentina (Salma Hayek & Francois-Henri Pinault)
Oct 28 Francesca (Jason Bateman & Amanda Anka)
Dec 16 Lewi (Leelee Sobieski & Adam Kimmel)
Dec 14 Milo (Liv Tyler & Royston Langdon)

(Photo by Noel Vasquez/Getty Images)

Monday, December 20, 2010

Baby Girl for the Youngest Hanson

Remember MmmBop by Hanson? It doesn't seem that long ago to some of us but it's been long enough for the youngest Hanson brother, Zac, to have not one, but two babies! Zac and Kate Hanson welcomed their second child, a daughter they named Junia Rose Ruth, on December 15th.


This is going to be one determined little girl! She's a Sagittarius Sun so she'll have big ideas and enthusiasm, but she's got three planets, including action-oriented Mars in the sign of Capricorn, where it really likes to be. In Capricorn, Mars is said to be 'exalted' because Mars likes to act and Capricorn is ambitious and goal-oriented, but practical enough to get things done rather than go off in all directions, which will reign in her Sagittarian ideas and really take them somewhere.

She's also got a charged Aries Moon and Venus in Scorpio, so her passions run loud (Aries) and deep (Scorpio). When she wants something, very little will be able to stand in her way!

From Junia's Kiddiegram:
The MOON in the birthchart indicates how she deals with and expresses feelings, how she experiences the world on an emotional, feeling, non-verbal level, what her emotional needs are, and what she needs to feel secure, comfortable and at ease.

High spirited and lively, this child needs action and she loves to be moving. She is attracted to anything with speed and energy, and to anything that involves challenge or competition (like running a race). She does things quickly, sometimes carelessly, and she hates to wait for anything. She can be very temperamental and impatient if the pace is too slow, and she gets frustrated with herself when she cannot master a task right away. She wants very much to be independent. She also wants very much to win, to be the first, to be the best. Emotionally she may seem quite self-sufficient, as she dislikes depending on others' help.
Looks like it's a MMMerry Christmas to the Hansons!

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Thursday, December 16, 2010

Liv Tyler's Birthday Boy Milo


Sagittarius Milo Langdon (son of Liv Tyler and Royston Langdon) turned 6 last Tuesday. How did he celebrate his birthday? All this imaginative boy needs is a cardboard box!
"My son is obsessed with the most basic things--like a plastic bottle you can make experiments with. Or I’m unpacking and I bring out a box and it’s like 10 hours of heaven. He turns it into all sorts of amazing things. He’s like a little scientist. He’s very smart.”
Liv might not be too far off the mark with her assessment of Milo as a scientist. While Milo's sun is in the sign of Sagittarius, he also has a lot of Scorpio energy in his chart, including Mars, Venus, his rising sign, and his south node. While astrology tends to assign the quality of curiosity to more lighthearted signs like Gemini, Scorpio is actually very curious as well but instead of moving on once their initial curiosity has been satisfied, Scorpios make very good researchers because they like to pursue something to its end, really getting down to the bottom of something--something that a scientist can really put to use! With Scorpio rising, the way he approaches the world is as if it's a secret waiting to be discovered.

His Sun is in Sagittarius, tightly conjunct Pluto which also adds that Scorpio signature of depth and tenacious investigation since Pluto and Scorpio share these similar qualities. With a Moon in practical Capricorn in the 3rd house of experimentation and learning, he's also going to really enjoy hands-on projects that help him see how things work in real life, not just theoretically.

Maybe Liv's got a future physicist on her hands!

Monday, December 13, 2010

Yes, Valentina, There IS a Santa Claus!

Valentina Pinault participates in a long-time tradition and sits on Santa's lap while mom Salma snaps a pic. What does Mlle. Kiddie think she might have told Santa she wants for the holidays?

With the multitude of earthy focus in Valentina's chart, such as a Virgo Sun, a Capricorn Moon and even grounded Saturn riding on her South Node, we might imagine practical gifts pleasing this gal. But appointment books and drawer organizers probably won't excite a 3-year-old! Keeping it practical for a 3 year old would probably mean a focus on hands-on toys, like building blocks or Play-doh.

The Sun and Moon sign can tell you a lot about a child's interests, but planets traditionally known for what they can tell you about joy, pleasure, and what we want, we look to Jupiter and Venus. In Valentina's chart, they are both in the fire signs Sagittarius and Leo, respectively. Fire signs are more about active, demonstrative and imaginative play, so Valentina might have asked Santa for something like a dress-up trunk of clothes, an adventure/explorer's kit, or active games like Twister or even a jump-rope.

Mlle. Kiddie has the feeling, though, that whatever she whispered in Santa's ear had little to do with what she wants for the holidays, and more like "who are you, really?" because as we found out earlier this year, Valentina doesn't actually believe in Santa Claus!

Wednesday, December 08, 2010

Harry Potter's Rupert Grint: Closet Rap Star?

Rupert Grint was sometimes referred to as "that other kid" in the Harry Potter films, listed as almost an afterthought behind Emma Watson (Hermione) and Daniel Radcliffe (Harry) but it's been said that he has 'the best acting chops' more than once, and he already has several films under his belt outside of the Harry Potter film series.

So how did he get the role of Ron Weasley (originally his favorite character in the books, by the way) in the Harry Potter films? His amazing rap skills, obviously.
"The books were becoming quite a phenomenon and I was a big fan of them," he says. "There was this news program in England called Newsround and they wanted kids my age to kind of, sort of come forward and send in application forms and stuff. So I basically just made a videotape of myself kind of doing a rap ... I'll do the first line: 'Hello there, my name's Rupert Grint, I hope you like this and don't think I stink.' I was 10!"
His co-star, Emma Watson, has described him as "calm and collected," and Dan Radcliffe has called him "the most laid-back guy in the world."

While it's not typical to describe a Virgo Sun as 'laid back', Mlle. Kiddie is not too surprised to hear that from his tres Leo friend Dan. A double earth (Virgo Sun, Capricorn Moon) fellow would be apparently less excitable than someone with all that Leo fire energy.

Virgo is often called finicky and fussy, but one of the traits not mentioned often enough is Virgo's humility, which makes him not as likely to grab a spotlight but just humbly work hard at his craft. Both Virgo and Capricorn, his moon sign, reveal an ability to work hard and perfect whatever it's dedicated to, making it no wonder that he shows so much promise in his acting. Capricorn also can shoulder burdens (sometimes a little too well), so he probably didn't as much trouble as some kids might in taking on the great responsibility of working so hard at such a young age. With Mars in Aries, he can propel himself forward with enthusiasm and be unstoppable!

Capricorn Moons also tend to bring a dry sense of humor and they can have quite a sense of comedic timing with a well-placed but not overdone joke. We can see him deliver this style in some of Ron's comments in Harry Potter, especially in the later films, and something we're likely to see more of in different roles he plays outside of the innocence of Ron Weasley.

Some fun tidbits about Rupert: he has a real fear of spiders just like his character Ron. He also wanted to be an ice cream man when he was a kid and he actually purchased an ice cream van and brought it to the set on the last day and served everyone ice cream! Chalk that up to his Venus in Cancer--relating to others by giving generously to their tummies!

Sunday, December 05, 2010

Parenting with Astrology: Discussing The Hard Topics

Amy Herring has been a professional astrologer for 15 years and a proud mother for 5 of those years. She has joyfully accepted Mlle. Kiddie’s gracious offer to share her thoughts once a month here at Kiddie Star Signs. To find out more about Amy and her personal readings for parents and children, visit her website at http://heavenlytruth.com.

Money and fame don’t solve every problem. Celebrity moms have their hopes and worries for their children too. However, Mlle. Kiddie would like to offer ‘everyday’ moms a chance to see astrology put into action to answer their parenting questions. After all, famous or not, you’re the world to your kids! If you’ve got a question about your child that you’d like Amy to answer, send your questions any time to amy@heavenlytruth.com.

Michelle writes:
"My daughter's father is terminal with liver disease. She and her father have not been close (she loves him but does not like him) but I would like to know how best to handle this with her. I have not told her yet. She knows he is very ill. So, I need to know how to deal with now and later."
With her Sun in Gemini and Moon in Virgo, she probably tends to intellectualize her emotional reactions to things or go straight to analysis and problem-solving, so I suspect that the actual telling will go not too badly. For her comfort, explaining the situation from the angle of his health limitations and logically may be the best approach. You don't have to be unfeeling or totally clinical, but just something along the lines of "you know your father is very sick, and the doctors feel that his body is exhausted..." etc., as opposed to a more feeling approach such as "I know you love your father but he can't be with you anymore." In the first example, you're looking more at the problem which a Virgo Moon can relate more to, rather than the person leaving and the shock of that (which ultimately will need to be acknowledged, of course).

Many things in her chart indicate that she's here learning to believe in and focus on herself and develop a strong will and strong identity, which is necessary for her growth because with her south node in Pisces in her 7th house, she's very empathetic and very easily drawn into the point of view and emotional agenda of others, especially those she loves. This can tell us a lot about her, but relative to your conversation with her, it's important to note that however you are feeling at the time you tell her, she will pick up on. So what you're telling her should resonate with how you're feeling or she'll pick up on the discordance. I say this only because sometimes it's tempting for us humans to deliver difficult news in a light-hearted tone to try and minimize the impact and that often doesn't work and won't work in this instance especially, as she'll be very tuned into what emotional signals you are sending, whatever they are.

The emotional impact of this news will probably catch up with her as she processes the impact of the news, and it is then that you'll want to be on the lookout for behavioral signals of that impact. With Pluto in her hidden 4th house, they may be difficult to spot. It's likely that she'll bury the actual feelings of woundedness or powerlessness or fear and try to be more matter of fact and logical about things consciously. Subconsciously, these feelings may filter up to the surface in the form of anger. Aside from the obvious idea of the 5 Stages of Grief and anger being one of those steps, her Mars, the planet of anger (among other things) is tightly opposed Pluto. So the more wounded, helpless, or fearful she feels, the more anger and battles of will and things of this nature will surface as outlets. Obviously therapy can be a good suggestion in these situations, but even more so in this case, because to get to the real feelings and not just the defenses will be a real challenge for her (and you) to do.

Be on the lookout for signals that she's feeling somehow guilty or that she should be able to fix or help the situation (such as children often try and do with trying to be 'good kids' and not cause any stress or other examples). It's difficult on a Virgo moon child, who's built to serve, help, and control to a certain degree, to cope with helplessness. With her Pisces south node in the 7th house, she may have some codependent tendencies and want to be a caretaker for you and/or her father. Whatever you can do to help her walk the fine line between feeling like she's helping and supporting without taking on obligation or guilt for not actually being able to change the result of her father's situation will be key.

You have my sympathy for the challenging situation you are in and I hope this information is helpful!

Would you like some input on how to understand and nurture your child in the most effective way for their unique needs? Amy offers readings for parents and children; find out more at her website.

Thursday, December 02, 2010

Harry Potter's Dan Radcliffe: Accidental Star

Daniel Radcliffe has been a household name ever since Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone hit the scene in 2001, but his interest in acting began much earlier with the prestigious role of a monkey in a school play. Although his mother was a casting agent and his father a literary agent, it wasn't his parents that pushed him into acting (in fact, they were quite reluctant about it at first), so Dan's first audition was at the prompting of a friend as a 'bit of fun', to try out for a role of a television production of David Copperfield and was quite surprised when he got it!

His next project was a small role in The Tailor of Panama, starting Geoffrey Rush and Jamie Lee Curtis. It was Jamie that suggested one day that it seemed Dan would be a good fit for Harry Potter and said so to Dan's mother. Although his parents were reluctant for him to audition, they eventually relented and, of course, Dan got the part, beginning a 10-year wild ride.

Dan has said that his acting career has been sort of an accident, but his chart doesn't seem to think so! With 5 planets in Leo, including his south node and Sun, there does seem to be a bit of a mark of destiny! While not every Leo longs to be an actor, there is the urge among everyone who wears the lion's mane to roar -- to express themselves, be heard and seen, to get in touch with what makes them special and share that creativity.

Leo does not always deserve the rap it gets from pop astrology as the overbearing, loud, egomaniac and show-off. Dan has been asked what qualities he shares with Harry Potter and he has listed loyalty, curiosity, standing up for himself and a propensity to land himself in trouble as the greatest similarities. All unsung Leo qualities.

Perhaps Leo can show itself as a diva when it feels too ignored, suppressed, or insecure, but the goal of Leo is not to be the star of every show, only the star of its own life; to be special, not more special than everyone else. With Dan, there is a strong soul desire to express himself creatively, often through performance, and acting certainly fits the bill. However, he also enjoys playing music, film (not necessarily his own), and has actually written and published a book of poetry under a pseudonym, befitting his Mercury (our 'voice') conjunct his Sun in Leo.

In fact, Dan has said several times that he doesn't exactly enjoy seeing himself on screen and avoids reading or watching any interviews of himself. Doesn't sound like the Leo stereotype we've been fed, does it!? Ironically, when asked Which of Harry's magical powers Dan would like to have, he replies: "Invisibility. That would be so cool just to go anywhere without people seeing you." While it's not shocking for an actor to want a little more anonymity so they can live their daily life, it's also striking that a Leo would want to be invisible. Yet, Leo, ruled by the Sun, is very much like the Sun: it shines so brightly, yet you can't look directly at it.

One of the challenges for a Leo south node (and therefore an Aquarius north node) is to learn the difference between expressing themselves in an authentic way, not just whatever gets applause or appreciation. In Dan's case, he might also be learning how to be seen for who he truly is, not just what people want him to be. His Jupiter (planet of opportunity and luck) opposite Uranus (planet of individuation) illustrates the tension he must feel between opportunities for growth in a direction that his fans or the industry and the real opportunities that come from authentic growth, even when no one's watching or understanding. Equus, a play that Dan starred in during 2008, was certainly a shocking departure from the role of lovable hero Harry Potter and could certainly be seen as an attempt toward a leap at breaking away from expectations of what people want to see vs. what he really is.

On an amusing note, his co-star in Equus has said that even with his incredible physique during the play, he loves candy. In particular, Mars bars. Gotta love that!

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Harry Potter's Emma Watson: From Child to Young Adult

Emma Watson has played the character of Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter film series for about half of her life, beginning in 2000 when she was just 10 years old. Now that the filming is over (the last movie wrapped in June of 2010), Emma is well on her way toward her future as just Emma, already having completed her first year at Brown University. The December issue of Marie Claire magazine features Emma, 20, on the cover and a feature article that lets us in on Emma's strong drive, her understated but elegant style, and just how much she's like Hermione.

While Emma wasn't born in the business, as they say, Emma's rise in the public eye in some form was almost inevitable with her south node in the sign of Leo (creativity and performance) and in the 11th house (the public arena). With her north node in Aquarius in the 5th house, she's working on being able to separate the drama and image of her public persona and her true source of individuality and creativity, which is not necessarily about how she can be popular, well-liked, or cater to her fans, but her own process of finding herself. Her Aries Sun in the 8th house will be a perfect vehicle for that, as she dives deep into herself in this life to find her own strength, courage, and independence--not to mention a relentless energy to pursue her desires.

Mlle. Kiddie just loves that this youngster was born in Paris, and that she's such an elegant example of her Virgo Ascendant. While Virgo often gets categorized as frumpy, fussy, and utilitarian, Miss Watson displays the elegance and simplicity of the Virgoan refinement. Our Ascendant/Rising Sign shows how we present ourselves to the world, which not only includes our attitude and approach to the world, but often our sense of style as well, since we want to dress ourselves in a way that makes our natural approach to the world like a second skin to us. That Virgo style brings an understated sophistication and Virgo, being a more contained sign, knows that sexiness doesn't have to mean being revealing or over-eager, as Emma herself reveals in the Marie Claire interview:
"I think it's so much sexier to be understated. It's more intriguing to be sexy in a less obvious way."
Fashion and our sense of style is not just our Ascendant, but is also contributed to by Venus' placement in our chart. In Emma's chart, it's in the dreamy sign of Pisces, which adds a sort of romantic flair to that elegant Virgo, and for Emma, with her Uranus (the planet of the pursuit of individuality) in close harmony with her Venus, she is likely to find her expression through fashion a great way to show her true self, and says something to that effect in the article. She also reveals the Piscean part of her sense of fashion when she quotes Jean Cocteau:
"I think fashion is a great way to express yourself. I read a great quote by Jean Cocteau: 'Style is a simple way of saying complicated [Virgo] things.' It's fun. It's escapist [Pisces]. It can change the way you think or feel. As an actress, just wearing something helps me get into character." (bracket statements added)
Mlle. Kiddie wonders if you can you get more perfect symbolism than that last line! In the 6th house of work (an actress), she finds that her style of clothing (Venus) helps her get into character (Pisces).

Emma's goals are now firmly rooted in her education, something Mlle. Kiddie would applaud anyway, but is especially significant for Emma since her Mercury (the mind) is exactly square her nodes and represents something that should be developed -- which no doubt could be easily skipped since she does not seem to need higher education to make a living if developing her mind weren't such an important part of her soul's development. Her Sagittarius Moon will also love to be educated and the fact that she's experiencing her education in a land far from her birth is also a love of Sagittarius. Her Mercury in Taurus in the 8th house brings a mental tenacity as well, which shows in her success in her studies. Mercury is also the ruler of her chart because it's the planet that rules (has an affinity with) her Ascendant, Virgo. This makes it doubly important.

That mental tenacity served her well when she auditioned for the role of Hermione. At 9 years old, she practiced relentlessly to get the audition just right:
"I started working on the audition at 9 in the morning and didn't stop until 5 in the evening. The tape was just me doing the same thing hundreds of times over, until I got it exactly right [Virgo]. I was just amazed at my stamina [Taurus]. I've always been like that; I give 100 percent. I can't do it any other way."
Post Harry Potter, in addition to her studies at Brown, she's collaborating in creating the Spring/Summer clothing line for People Tree, a sustainable and Fair Trade brand of clothing. "80% of the collection uses 100% organic and Fair-trade certified cotton and it is also made entirely by Fair Trade groups, using hand weaving, hand knitting, and hand embroidery, to create livelihoods for some of the most disadvantaged people in Bangladesh, India and Nepal." Sounds like she's growing into her Jupiter in Cancer in the 10th house, taking a public role (10th house) in nurturing (Cancer) others by providing them opportunities (Jupiter). This is a young lady to watch and admire!

Marie Claire Photo Credit: Tesh

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Benjamin Travolta is born!


Welcome to Florida, Ben!

John Travolta and wife Kelly Preston met their new little boy, Benjamin, on Tuesday night. The birth time is approximate, so Mademoiselle Kiddie has guessed 9 pm, which would give little Ben a Cancer Moon (reports say Ben was born in the evening). However, if he was born earlier than this (around 8 pm or before), he will have a Gemini Moon.

Ben has three planets in Sagittarius: his Sun, and a conjunction of Mercury and Mars in this sign, revealing that he'll soon develop a strong desire for learning and discovering new things in the world. The work of Sagittarius is to experience things for oneself and then come to one's own personal conclusions about what they think of the world, what meaning they make of everything and their own views of what life's about. To do that, he'll use his passion (Mars) for asking questions (Mercury).

This Sagittarius energy is in a strange contrast with his Cancer south node (and possible Moon in Cancer), which indicates an orientation less focused on the wildness and independence of adventure and more toward home, shelter, comfort, and loyalty to family and tradition. Cancer and Sagittarius are inconjunct each other, which means they don't relate easily to each other because they are so different. Part of him longs for expansion and freedom, but another part of him longs for containment and home. He'll be learning to balance both of these needs throughout his life.

With Venus in Libra caught in the interplay between south and north node, the relationships (Venus) he draws to himself will be pivotal in what he learns about the world and other viewpoints (Libra), and whether his relationships with others validate his inherited world view or in aid in questioning and developing his own. Encounters with people that have differing beliefs and experiences can open his world view and excite his mind with the possibilities.

A Moon in Gemini vs. Cancer would certainly tip the scales in different but interesting directions either way. With a Gemini moon, his quest for information and seeking truth wherever he finds it will be amplified and will support and press his already strong desire to seek answers with Mercury, Mars, and his Sun in Sagittarius. With a Cancer moon, his emotional needs will clash more easily with these aspects of his personality as he tries to stretch beyond himself but not lose himself and his heart in the process. With a Capricorn north node, he's working on his own sense of independence and wanting to be a grown up, so all his Sagittarius energy can be very useful for him. Sagittarius also has a light-hearted, energetic, and fun side that will definitely bring a bright light into the Travolta household.

Congratulations, Travoltas!

Photo: JustJared.buzznet.com

Monday, November 22, 2010

Happy Birthday Sagittarius Kids

The Sun is in Sagittarius this year from November 22nd to December 21. Happy birthday to all those Sagittarius kiddos (and mommies and daddies)!

Kids with prominent Sagittarius planets in their charts, especially the Sun and/or the Moon, are learning about what it means to explore their world fearlessly. Not all Sagittarians like to channel their sense of adventure into eXtreme sports or high risks, but they all tend to have some desire to stretch their boundaries in some way, whether it's exploring beyond their back yard or exploring beyond what their teacher tells them. They also have a strong desire for experience; they prefer to see something first hand rather than read about it or learn about it sitting at a desk.

Sagittarius is a mutable sign, just like Gemini, Virgo, and Pisces. All mutable signs have some restlessness about them since they are built for change and adaptation, and don't find it easy to sit still or keep to routine (although Virgo can more easily, as long as she's constantly growing--that's her motion).

Sagittarius also tends to get the label of being outspoken, or is even called tactless, but its intent is never to be cruel or overbearing. Sagittarius is a fire sign, so it bubbles with enthusiasm and sometimes can't contain itself easily, so whatever Sagittarius is thinking comes out of their mouth sometimes more abruptly than with other signs.

Hazel & Phinneaus Moder (mom Julia Roberts) turn 7 on November 28th. More about Sagittarius from Hazel's Kiddiegram:

At heart, Hazel is an expansive, freedom-loving, and optimistic soul, with a great love for adventure and exploring the world. As a young child, her overflowing abundance of restless energy may preclude taking long trips during which she must be confined to a small area (like her carseat or her place on the bus), but before long you will have an eager traveling companion.

Seeing different places, learning something new, and discovering more about the world are strong (and lifelong) interests of hers. The foreign or unknown is very appealing to her. Reading stories from different cultures, visiting museums, or taking field trips to interesting, out-of-the-way places will be heartily appreciated by her.

Expect a lot of questions and discussion along the way as well, as she is deeply curious and she often wonders about the underlying causes of things. You may well have a young philosopher on your hands, too, for she is likely to come up with her own rather amazing theories and beliefs as to "why" things are as they are.
Do you have a Sagittarius kiddo in your life?
Treat their parents to a tailor-made
Kiddiegram!

Sagittarius Sun Kids
Johan Riley Fyodor Taiwo (Heidi Klum & Seal)
Usher Raymond V (Usher & Tameka Foster)
Hazel & Phinneaus (Julia Roberts & Daniel Moder)
Pax Thien (Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie)
Violet Anne (Ben Affleck & Jennifer Garner)
Dashiell John (Cate Blanchett & Andrew Upton)
Milo (Liv Tyler & Royston Langdon)
Lyla Rose (Lisa Loeb & Roey Hershkovitz)
Rhys Edward (Joey & Barrett McIntyre)
Benjamin (John Travolta & Kelly Preston)
Benjamin (Gisele Bündchen and Tom Brady)
Theodore Hayes (Ali Larter & Hayes MacArthur)
Ethel Mary (Lily Allen & Sam Cooper)
Alastair (Rod Stewart & Penny Lancaster)
Romy (Sofia Coppola & Thomas Mars)
Samuel (Liev Schreiber & Naomi Watts)
Nell (Tim Burton & Helena Bonham Carter)

Sagittarius Moon Kids
Violet Anne (Ben Affleck & Jennifer Garner)
Jack (Bridget Moynahan & Tom Brady)
Cecilia Cassini (young fashion designer)
Levi James (Sheryl Crow)
Suri (Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes)
Dylan (Michael Douglas & Catherine Zeta-Jones)
Lewi (LeeLee Sobieski & Adam Kimmel)
Zahara (Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie)
Margaret Grace (Mark & Rhea Wahlberg)
Michael (Mark & Rhea Wahlberg)
Keara Kiyomi (Kristi Yamaguchi & Bret Hedican)

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Beckham's Boy Brooklyn: Budding Philanthropist

In a recent issue of Hello! Magazine, Victoria Beckham spoke about teaching their kids gratitude:
"The kids don't feel entitled at all. As a family, we do charity projects, 99% of which we're really quiet about. Brooklyn is starting to learn more about charities and is taking his responsibilities seriously as someone who is in the public eye. He really loves it and the boys all want to do what they can to help. We do it as a family and really enjoy it."
Brooklyn's Sun is in the sign of Pisces, a sign known for it's tendency toward empathy and compassion, and it's channeled through a Libra Ascendant, which is a sign that has a heightened awareness of other people, so Brooklyn, although highly individualistic, can channel that sensitivity easily into helping others.

Mom Victoria has some sincere tendencies toward gratitude and sharing with others as well. Venus (relating to others, personal values) is conjunct Jupiter (expansion, generosity) in the compassionate sign of Pisces, and these two planets rest on son Brooklyn's Pisces Sun, so mom tends to bring out the soft spots in him where giving is concerned. Not only that, but Brooklyn's Sun is in the 6th house, a house of work and service and it's connected to Mars by a trine (a comfortable connection) so he's more willing to put his empathy (Pisces) to work (6th house) and act on (Mars) his desires to give.

When it comes to matters of being 'in the public eye', we look to the Midheaven, the beginning of the 10th house, which has no planets in it but is in the sign of Cancer. Cancer is a sign that is built to nurture, shelter, and protect, among other things, so this echoes the already building case for a budding philanthropist. As he develops his Leo North Node in the 11th house, he'll be learning how to let his own joy and creativity be part of his gift to the world, and a voice within it.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Gosselin Kids' Growing Pains

People Magazine reported earlier today that two of the Gosselin sextuplets, Collin and Alexis, have been expelled from their private school and are being home taught for the time being, due to "greatly exaggerated reports of bullying and abuse" on their parts. While that can conjure up images of extreme violence in some fantastical minds, Mademoiselle Kiddie wishes not to jump to conclusions and supposes this expulsion could be due to something as simple as violating school rules repeatedly, for example. (especially in a private school that may be more strict). Either way, it has been said that the kids are 'acting out' as a result of difficulty coping with the divorce of their parents.

Mademoiselle Kiddie suspects Venus is behind this story.

When most astrologers, and even most people, think of Venus, they are drawn to the Greek myth of Aphrodite, who was known as the goddess of love and beauty. Astrologers think of Venus as the urge to create relationships based on harmony and similarity. So why would Venus be behind stirring up so much trouble?

Well, if you've ever read the old myths, you'll know that the gods and goddesses don't always behave and even like to stir up trouble with the humans! One such time of trouble can be when the planet that represents that god or goddess goes retrograde (appears to travel backward in the sky for a time), such trouble can often manifest. The planet Venus has been traveling backward through the sign of Scorpio (now briefly back into Libra).

Any time a planet is in retrograde, it is a time to REview and REpair issues that the planet represents. WithDuring the period that Venus is retrograde, we often see challenges in relationships of all kinds, whether it is old friends returning, or letting current relationships go, or dealing with what isn't working in a relationship in order to try and get it fixed. While Venus has been retrograding (since early October) people that have been feeling under-valued and under-appreciated by those around them have been more inclined to speak up about it and in Scorpio, that means in no-uncertain terms! They're not going to take it anymore. And that may be just the kind of issue surfacing with Collin and Alexis.


As Venus has been moving over Scorpio, it has been forming a square (a tense relationship) with their moon in Aquarius, which can push them to rebel (Aquarius) if they feel like their feelings (moon) are not being heard, understood, or valued (Venus). As it formed the square, it also forms a trine (a comfortable relationship) to Uranus and Mars, so Uranus and Mars behaviors are easier to express than the moon behaviors. Therefore, rebellion and disobedience (Uranus), as well as displays of aggression and assertion of one's own will and dominance (Mars in the 1st house) are most likely defense mechanisms for feeling like they don't have an outlet for their feelings. Addressing what's hurting, and especially what makes them feel like their freedoms and individuality are not being respected (which is one thing moon in Aquarius really wants), is a positive way to diffuse and re-direct the impulsive aggression.

Even though there is no report on the other four children being expelled, Mademoiselle Kiddie would not be surprised to find that similar behavior has been showing up in these children, even if it comes out in different situations, since they all share a chart and are all being triggered by Venus simultaneously.

Venus will begin moving forward again on November 19th, at which point she will, even though moving forward, trigger these sensitive spots again before leaving them for a significant length of time. Mademoiselle Kiddie guesses most of December may have these kids 'acting out' as they try to get their needs met.


On twins and more: While all six children have basically the same chart, not all kids respond identically to the same urges, as they all have free will to make their own choices as they interact with the environment, and some people think may even have different inclinations based on past lives where they were not part of sextuplets/identical charts!

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Jenna Jameson on Pre and Post Mommy Life

Former porn star Jenna Jameson talked to W Magazine about how she's put her past behind her and concentrates now on simply being a good mom. Jenna had fraternal twin boys in March of 2009: Jesse and Journey and never looked back. “The moment I decided to have children I quit," she says, even having her breast implants removed and refusing cover photo shoot opportunities (at least ones that feature her in her former role as "Queen of Porn").


Jenna is now happily settled in into mommy life, walking her twins in a double stroller daily. “I really don’t think I need to say, ‘Mommy was a porn star. I feel like they’re going to know me and think, ‘Mommy loved us so much that she quit everything and made us her jobs.’”

And according to the astrology of the twins, it's likely they'll share that sentiment. The Pisces Sun they share, including Mars, Mercury, and Uranus also in Pisces, brings with it a compassion and natural ability to empathize with others, often thinking the best of others. With Uranus close to their Sun, they are likely to want to go against the grain of "society's accepted social norms" themselves so they aren't likely to be bothered that mom did the same thing.

With Saturn in Virgo opposite their Mercury in Pisces, what they know and feel of their experience of mom (Mercury in Pisces) may come up in confrontation with the 'reality' of the social judgments that others may impose about their mom (Saturn in Virgo) about what is so-called 'appropriate' but they are likely to defend their mother quite easily since their Mars (planet of the defender in all of us) is right on top of mom's Venus.

Jameson's own mother died when she was about the age of her boys, so Mademoiselle Kiddie is certain that she will have a strong desire to be there for her own children and is not surprised about the strength of her conviction to focus only on her children from their birth. Read more about Jenna in this month's W Magazine.

Photo credit: Patrick Demarchelier

Sunday, November 07, 2010

Scorpio Ruby Maguire Turns 4!

Scorpio Ruby Maguire turns 4 on November 10th. Hopefully her parents aren't attempting a surprise birthday party this year! Scorpio isn't easily fooled, and Ruby could be called an X-Treme Scorpio, with 5 planets in this sign (that's half her chart!)

Her Mercury, the planet of the mind, information, and curiosity, is one of the five in Scorpio and it's followed closely by Mars, our planet of motivation and passion. This girl could probably make a living as one sharp detective if she so desires. She knows how to find clues and pick up on things that others think they're hiding successfully. She's also passionate about finding out secrets and uncovering truths. Better hide and double wrap the presents, mom and dad!

Unless she was born earlier in the morning, she's likely to have a Leo moon, so a party where she gets a chance to shine and express herself might be very enjoyable for her, but all that Scorpio can make that Leo moon pretty shy. A party at home with close friends is a sure winner.

Happy birthday, Ruby!

Tuesday, November 02, 2010

Parenting with Astrology: Childhood Anxiety

Amy Herring has been a professional astrologer for 15 years and a proud mother for 5 of those years. She has joyfully accepted Mlle. Kiddie’s gracious offer to share her thoughts once a month here at Kiddie Star Signs. To find out more about Amy and her personal readings for parents and children, visit her website at http://heavenlytruth.com.

Money and fame don’t solve every problem. Celebrity moms have their hopes and worries for their children too. However, Mlle. Kiddie would like to offer ‘everyday’ moms a chance to see astrology put into action to answer their parenting questions. After all, famous or not, you’re the world to your kids! If you’ve got a question about your child that you’d like Amy to answer, send your questions any time to amy@heavenlytruth.com.

Jan writes:
My son is only 13 months old, but I can already sense he has considerable anxiety. What can I do to assure my little Virgo?

Well, your son certainly does have enough Virgo to worry himself! Virgos have many lovely and life-affirming qualities which we'll discuss before we're done, but on the "tough-to-be-a-Virgo" side of things, anxiety certainly does have its place. Virgos often fret about not living up to standards, doing things incorrectly or themselves (or life) getting out of control and these worries, in a 13-month-old fashion, may be infiltrating. At his young age, however, the anxiety is probably more primal than the damage-control urges and 'what-ifs' that plague the typical Virgo.

As an evolutionary astrologer, my eye is often drawn to the south node of the moon, but I find myself doubly compelled to do so with children as so often, concerns of the parent(s) tend to find answers in the child's south node. The south node reveals where our comfort zone is, how we tend to look at life and react to life on an instinctual level. The rest of the chart can almost be looked at as new tools the soul is learning to use as they strive to get a greater perspective about life beyond the south node. When a soul is young, they are almost all instinctual, so the moon and it's south node are often primary sources of understanding into their behaviors.

Your son's south node is in Cancer in the 7th house. Cancer, like all signs, has many facets, but one of its needs is to feel secure, to protect and be protected. Cancer is often called the sign of home and family because, especially for children, home and family provide the nurturing and safe environment for them to explore their world. The 7th house is the area of life where we focus most on one-to-one interactions: typically called the house of marriage or partnership. But in a baby's life, obviously the primary relationship is a parent. So babies need to feel safety with their parents, there's no surprise! But multiply the need twenty times in your son's case and you'll start to understand the intensity of that need. He may show this by being particularly clingy with one parent, for example, as a longer term issue rather than just a phase attached to a particular stage of development.

Separation anxiety, whether it shows up as literal fear to be physically separated from you or branches out into various behaviors, will be the most difficult for him to navigate, so helping him trust that he can count on you to be there while encouraging independent behaviors will be the goal over his development. He is learning to depend on himself in this lifetime, and in doing so, he'll need to learn that sometimes in order to prove to himself that he is more capable than he thinks, he'll need to do things alone.

So ultimately that is the line you'll be walking. But at his age, perhaps the best thing to focus on is just building his trust that you're there, and that even when you need to go away, you come back and that you won't abandon him. The next steps will be helping him realize that while you are his mother, you are also a person with needs and have to take care of yourself as well as him, thereby teaching him the independence that he is trying to learn himself. Sometimes he will want you have him attached at your hip when you need time for yourself for sanity, or merely when necessity pulls you away, and its during these times that careful navigation will be required so that he knows he's safe and loved, but that he will be ok while you nurture yourself. Teach him that you're a mommy and a woman and a ... (whatever other hats you wear!)

There will be time enough as he grows to help him recognize that life isn't exactly a safe proposition and sometimes facing that reality as gently but realistically as he is able can empower him! He's got Uranus, the planet of individuality, opposed his Sun, Moon, and Saturn, so his chart's tools will be pushing him to stretch his legs away from mom soon enough.

Would you like some input on how to understand and nurture your child in the most effective way for their unique needs? Amy offers readings for parents and children; find out more at her website.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Happy Birthday Scorpio Kids!

The Sun is in Scorpio this year from October 22nd to November 22nd. Happy birthday to all those Scorpio kiddos (and their mommies and daddies)!

Kids with prominent Scorpio planets in their charts, especially the Sun and/or the Moon, tend to be very perceptive. Scorpio loves a mystery: whether it's figuring out a traditional 'whodunnit' story, or researching a topic to figure out the elusive answers, they have a need to know that's not so much out of curiosity as out of a desire for truth.

Their 'sixth sense' ability also makes them good at picking up on the sometimes hidden and non-verbal signals that happen in every-day interactions between people and figuring out what's going on beneath the surface. Therefore, one of the most important things a parent can do for their Scorpio child is tell them the truth. Scorpio needs straight talk and honesty, appropriate for their age of course, but not the sugar-coating that might be tempting when parents find themselves on the end of an uncomfortable question from their child!

Willow Smith celebrates her 10th birthday this Halloween! More about Scorpio from Willow's Kiddiegram:

Willow is a child of powerful feelings, emotional extremes, and great sensitivity and depth, sometimes marked by a rather quiet demeanor. At heart she is a very private, even secretive, soul, and her need for a room of her own, or a hideaway in the backyard, or some other personal, unassailable place where she can be alone at times, is quite strong. She may well be sociable and friendly enough, but she likes to be the one in control of when, and with whom, she shares herself.

Her feelings tend to run hot or cold - she loves you or she hates you (sometimes both!), with equal fervor. There is a rather dramatic emotional side to her, and it may seem that she exaggerates her feelings. She is rarely lukewarm.
Do you have a Scorpio kiddie in your life? Treat their parents to a tailor-made Kiddiegram!

Scorpio Sun kids
Willow (Will & Jada Pinkett Smith)
Bronx (Ashlee Simpson & Pete Wentz)
Deacon (Ryan Phillipe & Reese Witherspoon)
James (Matthew Broderick & Sarah Jessica Parker)
Ruby Sweetheart (Tobey Maguire & Jennifer Meyer)
Matilda Rose (Heath Ledger & Michelle Williams)
Francesca (Jason Bateman & Amanda Anka)
Sunny (Adam & Jackie Sandler)
Ever Gabo (Milla Jovovich & Paul Anderson)

Scorpio Moon kids
Miley (Billy Ray & Tish Cyrus)
Lourdes (Madonna & Carlos Leon)
Rhys Edward (Joey & Barrett McIntyre)
Leni (Heidi Klum & Seal)

Monday, October 25, 2010

Celine Dion's Double Baby Boy Bliss

It's a mini baby boom this month in Hollywood! Matt Damon and his wife Luciana just welcomed Stella Zavala on October 20th; Lance Armstrong and his wife Anna welcomed Olivia Marie on October 17th; Alicia Keys gave birth to Egypt Daoud on October 14th (with husband Kaseem Dean), and of course Neil Patrick Harris and his husband David Burtka brought home twins via surrogate: Gideon Scott and Harper Grace.

But perhaps the most thrilling news is the birth of Celine Dion's twin boys on Saturday, given her difficulties in the recent past in conceiving and carrying a baby to term.

Entering the world just one minute apart, the twins were born just after the full moon, so it still shows up in their chart: their Sun, just barely into Scorpio is opposite the moon in Taurus. Full moon people are said to be built to bring things to fruition - to take the enthusiasm, naivete, and idealism of the first half of the waxing lunar cycle and thrust it forward into life, to get 'out there' and make a mark, make a difference. These kids are on a mission!

And it doesn't stop there, but is echoed in the fact that their Sun, Mercury, and Venus are all in Scorpio in the 11th house. Scorpio takes what it's passionate about and follows it through to almost obsessive ends. In the 11th house, the house of the 'public, groups, and community', their mission will no doubt be far-reaching. They will obviously be well-known because of their parents, but they are not likely to be reaching for fame as much as they are to want to make a valuable difference in the world (Scorpio doesn't really like to be in the spotlight too much!)

But 11th house planets often take a long while to manifest, needing to gather up momentum, self-knowledge, and lengthy life experience so as to reach a crescendo of sorts. In the meantime, the twins will probably be working on getting to know themselves as individuals--something that any person, and especially twins, must do, but for these twins, that work takes center stage. They entered the world with a Cancer south node in the 7th house, which speaks of a tendency to think in terms of 'us' rather than 'I', and Cancer can be prone to giving much more than it allows itself to receive. With Pluto and the north node in their 1st house of Self and in Capricorn, a sign known for self-sufficiency and independence, they will be moving ever toward the goal of understanding and owning identity.

Once they start to get their feet under them in this regard, their second half of life should gain even more momentum, having them branch out into the world to show it their stuff! Their enthusiastic Sagittarius rising knows no bounds, so it should be a good show!

Congratulations to the happy family!


At this writing, the twins' names have yet to be made public.

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Dancing with the 'Stars': Meet Kristi Yamaguchi's Kids

Kristi Yamaguchi is best known for winning the gold in the 1992 Olympics as a figure skater, and most recently for winning the 'gold' on Dancing with the Stars in 2008, but Mlle. Kiddie is especially interested in the dance of her and her family's personal stars--their astrology!

Kristi has described herself as shy, not really fitting in but feeling like she belonged when she was on the ice. She's said she didn't mind missing out on social things in school because she had such a focus and a plan. Her life was skating. Off the ice she just tried to 'do her thing and not be noticed', but on the ice, it was "music and freedom and self-expression."

Kristi entered the world with a shy Cancer Sun and Leo south node, which comes with it a big desire to express oneself, often through creative pursuits. But it's also tucked away in the private 12th house, so even though pop astrology may tell us that Leo likes to be the life of the party, Kristi's party was always on the inside, shining through her skating dreams.

Her work with the Make-A-Wish foundation after the Olympics inspired her to open her own foundation in 1996: the Always Dream Foundation, an organization dedicated to giving support to children so they can reach for their own dreams. Kristi says in the opening line of a welcome video at the Always Dream website: "I think a hero is someone who gives from the heart into the community." This sums up perfectly her Sun in Cancer in the 11th house: a hero (Sun) is someone who gives from their heart (Cancer) to the community (11th house). Her basic identity is about nurturing (Cancer) children to achieve their dreams (also 11th house).

Starting with her own kids! When she had her children, Keara and Emma, in 2003 and 2005, respectively, her priorities changed. Of her kids, she says:
"After the first one is born, you think the second one will be the same—but she’s not. Keara is very social, outgoing and adaptable. I see a lot of myself in Emma. She’s Mommy’s girl, like I was. She’s a little shy in social situations until she gets comfortable. Keara is more artistic. She loves imaginary play. Emma has really good athletic ability. She’s physically tough. It will be interesting to see what they choose to do."

Keara is a sociable Libra, with both her Sun and Venus in the sign of Libra. Libra is ruled by Venus, the goddess of love and beauty, and many Librans have a knack for knowing what's beautiful and how to create it. Keara has an extra ace in the hole, however, with the planet Neptune in a harmonious trine with her Sun. Neptune is a planet that connects us to 'the other world' in some way, be it through spirituality, intuition, or imagination.

Keara also has her moon in Sagittarius, a sign that wants to expand as much as it can and experience all it can, so she'll be mostly unstoppable in her enthusiasm. However, she'll benefit from her mom's example of dedication and hard work to make dreams come true since the asteroid Chiron is exactly opposite her Saturn. When we work with our Saturn, we commit to something and make it happen in the real world through our dedication, but with Chiron pulling on it, she may have some trepidation to work out surrounding her own capabilities to accomplish what she dreams.

Emma's Sun is in the sign of Scorpio, a sign that's more about the inner world. Scorpio likes to observe before it acts and with a calculating eye, sum up any situation so it knows what it's in for. With her Venus in Capricorn, she is likely to make friends more easily in structured situations where she knows what's expected of her and relationship foundations are defined rather than just free play, but her curious and talkative Gemini Moon will certainly reveal itself 'once she's comfortable,' as mom has said.

Emma has Mars in the sign of Taurus, which can definitely contribute to strength and physical 'toughness', and which also brings a natural ability toward perseverance and steadiness. Emma's challenge may be keeping focused, as her Gemini Moon will find lots of reasons to be distracted by new interests.

What a beautiful family!

Photo: Jim Wright
Reference: article by Suzanne Riss, Working Mother Magazine

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka Welcome Libra Twins

A boy, Gideon Scott and a girl, Harper Grace are now the proud owners of two happy fathers, Neil Patrick Harris and his partner, David Burtka.


While Mademoiselle Kiddie does not know the twins' time of birth, it is likely they have a Sagittarius Moon, just like daddy Neil. Sagittarius is a playful energy, that likes to goof off and not take themselves so seriously.

Co-star Alyson Hannigan says of Neil: "He's definitely a kid at heart and I think that really helps. He can get into the kids' energy easily. He's fantastic with my daughter, and she just loves him." She also adds: "He has this phenomenal song that he has made up and it makes my daughter laugh every time he does it. It sticks in my head for days. It's so brilliant, and it's the perfect baby song. He's definitely going to be so creative and fun." Sounds about right!

Gideon and Harper have their Sun and Mercury in Libra, so they're likely to charm more than just their parents! Librans tend to know just how to make others comfortable and happy, so they can easily wrap their loved ones around their little fingers, and with that joyful Sagittarius Moon, they will certainly brighten up the Burtka-Harris home, times two!

Monday, October 11, 2010

Happy Birthday Libra Kids!


The Sun is in Libra this year from roughly September 22nd to October 22nd. Happy birthday to all those Libra kiddos (and their mommies and daddies)!

Kids with prominent Libra planets in their charts, especially the Sun and/or the Moon, are primarily concerned with fairness and peacekeeping. They are the little charmers of the zodiac because they always have an innate sense of what others want and need from them. They don't tend to be competitive in general, because they feel more comfortable when everyone is getting along and happy, so conflict can be difficult for them. Showing them how to get through conflict with an eye for a fair resolution for everyone involved is immensely helpful.

Heidi & Seal's baby Lou recently turned 1 year old. More about Libra from Lou's Kiddiegram:
Lou has a highly developed sense of symmetry, balance, and fairness, and all her life she will be striving to find a happy medium (between herself and other people, between work and relationships, between her heart and her head, and so on). She tends to be moderate, avoiding extremes, seeing both sides of an issue, sometimes unable to commit herself wholeheartedly to anything for fear of excluding something or someone. Indecisiveness is likely to be a real, ongoing problem for her, and it is best not to offer her choices that require an immediate, definite response. She usually needs time to think about it, or she wants both of the options, or she does not feel strongly about either one but she will sift and weigh them indefinitely.
Do you have a Libra kiddie in your life? Treat their parents to a tailor-made Kiddiegram!

Libra Sun Kids
Lou (Heidi Klum & Seal)
Kal-el (Nicholas Cage)
Mathilda (Molly Ringwald)
Lourdes (Madonna)
Ramona (Maggie Gyllenhaal)

Libra Moon Kids
Kal-el (Nicholas Cage)
Easton (Jenna Elfman)

Friday, October 08, 2010

Mary-Louise Parker Sets the Stage

Mary-Louise Parker's 6-1/2 year old son William Atticus looks like he's following in his mom's footsteps. She says:

“My children are putting on shows all day long,” the 46-year-old actress says. “I have a stage in my home actually because I was tired of them using the coffee table and the dining room table. So all day long it’s, ‘Ladies and gentleman, turn off your cell phones.’"

And of her son's creative genius:

“There was a musical the other day called The Absent Spaceman that my son wrote. And he thought the song 'Hello, Dolly' was about Salvador Dalí. I swear to God, my hand to God he did. So he kind of rewrote that and made a paper mustache. It’s really cute.”

Mademoiselle Kiddie does not know William's time of birth, but what we can see of his chart doesn't seem to show that 'a star is born' at first glance. He's got a conservative, practical Capricorn Sun and a keep-to-himself, gentle Cancer Moon. His Scorpio south node shows a flair for a bit of intense drama and his Mars in Aries shows enthusiasm, but where's the bug that gets him to perform on coffee tables and write musicals? Mademoiselle has a couple of suspects:

Venus
Venus lies in the sign of Aquarius, and it is in a square to his north and south nodes of the moon, indicating that it is a strong desire of his, as well as a soul imperative, that he express his creativity. In Aquarius, he must learn to allow himself to express freely, with no judgment (self-imposed or otherwise) on whether or not his creative product is good or bad according to some artificial standard, but merely whether or not it brought him joy and expressed something true and authentic from inside of him. Aquarius isn't about fitting in, it's about the freedom to be yourself (and in this case, his creative self). It's involvement with the nodes elevates it's importance in his chart somewhat.

Mercury
Mercury is in Sagittarius, so he comes with a passion for learning and experiencing, but what's more important here is its conjunction to Pluto. Pluto intensifies anything it touches, and also brings up qualities of the under belly of things. Pluto conjoined with a planet asks "what's really going on here?" Pluto's involvement with Mercury is the difference between smarmy love novels or murderous mysteries, between limericks and dramatic odes, or the playful and innocent tone of 'Hello Dolly' or the disturbing and unusual tone of 'Salvador Dali'. Mercury likes questions, and with Pluto conjunct it, it likes the deep questions, yet in Sagittarius, there is going to be an (edgy) silliness, even absurdity in the way William's mind works.

Mercury and Venus are in a sextile relationship with each other, which means they work very well inside of William and can easily bring out the best in each other. The unique creativity of William's Venus coupled with the silly but penetrating wittiness of his Mercury/Pluto in Sagittarius might find him less on the stage in his life and more behind the writer's desk, shocking and amusing us with his insights!

Monday, October 04, 2010

Dylan Douglas' Dyslexia

In an interview with the UK Guardian, Michael Douglas revealed that his 10 year old son, Dylan, has dyslexia and that it "runs in the family" (Michael's brother has it). Michael and his family recently relocated to New York so Dylan could attend a special school to assist him.

Dyslexia can produce any number of challenges that are mostly focused around reading, writing, and speaking, so it tends to be Mercury's terrain. The condition of Mercury in a natal chart indicates how we'll think and process information, communicate, and the way our mind works in general, both symbolically and literally to some extent.

Dylan's Mercury is in Leo in the 7th house of his chart, not necessarily indicative of any learning disabilities. Any planet in a sign or house alone can manifest a number of ways. Aspects between planets typically show more of the action and dynamic qualities of a chart, so any tension or difficulty a planet is under is often more easily seen in its connections to other planets.

In Dylan's case, his Mercury is conjunct Mars, indicating that a lot of passion, fire, and energy is running through his mental circuits. He may find himself wanting to respond quickly or off the cuff, almost as if his mind and mouth are running faster than he is. Someone with this configuration might simply talk very quickly, so we wouldn't see dyslexia in even the majority of the cases, but where we know it's present, we might suspect that the nature of the Mercurial challenge in Dylan's case is an issue of speed, as in, too much of it. Mars can also illustrate where people hold their stress and anxiety in general, where burnout or overwhelm can happen if stress levels get too high, and it's said that both stress and anxiety can exacerbate dyslexia symptoms (although there's precious little in this world that stress and anxiety don't worsen!)

Dylan also has Neptune in Aquarius opposed his Mercury and Mars. Dyslexia has no bearing on intelligence or vice versa: it is simply a matter of how information is processed and communicated, not whether it's understood on a conceptual level. Neptune has an 'other-worldly' quality to it; it represents the part of us that is least attached to the logical, 3-dimensional, shared 'reality' world and more connected to things like the dream world (waking or sleeping), intuition, imagination, and the part of us that understands symbols and metaphors. Neptune is often thought to have a 'foggy' influence on life, but that is only when we are trying to rigidly define our world. In our imagination or our dream world, we would have no problem saying 2+2=22 if it made a kind of creative sense to us, for instance. With Neptune in a difficult relationship to Mercury, he processes messages in a way that is outside the rigid rules of '2+2=4 and nothing else' thinking. His mind is free, for better and worse, to process information outside of typical constraints.

Something that can help him master and manage symptoms of dyslexia is his Saturn in Taurus, in a sextile relationship to Mercury, indicating that Saturn and Mercury can work well together. Slowing it down (Taurus) and steady practice (Saturn) are his best tools, but he'll also benefit from finding ways to incorporate the imagination and symbolism of his Neptune into his mental processes in a way that doesn't just lead to confusion, but a new way of looking at things entirely! Inventive and imaginative greats such as Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Edison, and Mozart were all said to have some form of dyslexia.